Seventeen Seventy

The Town of 1770. An interesting name wouldn't you say? But, before I get there, an update on my way further south. From the map I had picked two likely places to stay, the most likely one at Tannum Sands, just south of Gladstone, an industrial town with a huge Aluminium smelter, which I passed by. Tannum Sands is right on the coast, a campground, about one block from the water is expensive and also features a large display of Sandfly Repellant and looking at a couple walking out I can see they have been bitten. Anyway, I have had my share of Sandfly bites when I stayed on the beach north of Townsville so decided to give that place a miss.

Another listed site by the river turns out to be closed down so I decide to go a bit further south on the highway before turning toward the coast again to visit the town of 1770. A great place, right on the beach again, lots of people, many from Bundaberg who know this spot as a local get-away.


Looking out my window at 1770

Lieutenant James Cook, on Wednesday 14th May 1770 went ashore near Round Hill Head with a party of men in order to examine the country, accompanied by Joseph Banks and Dr Solander. Cook's ship, The Endeavour, anchored about 2 miles off shore.


Round Hill Head

This was Cook's second landing in Australia and his first in Queensland, hence the Seventeen Seventy being referred to as The Birthplace of Queensland. Cook and his party landed within the south point of the bay where they found a channel leading into a large lagoon. "...In this place there is room for a few ships to ly in great security, and a small stream of fresh water..."


Cook's Ship "The Endeavour"

Upon the shore they saw a species of Bustard, one of which was shot. It was like a large turkey and weighed seventeen and a half pounds. It was the best bird they had eaten since leaving England and in honour of it they called the inlet "Bustard Bay".

NB: This information has been kindly supplied by the Manager Chris of this camp ground [more]

Keppel Island

Island tours from Yeppoon are not operating Mondays, so the best opportunity to make the trip across to the island was today. The Catameran leaves at 10.30 for the island and returns at 2.00pm.

There is quite a swell on the way out which results in a choppy ride which was fun, much like riding a roller coaster. The ocean shades of turquoise, the beaches when we arrive, mostly white sand, bright with the sun reflecting. A beautiful place without a doubt.


Keppel Island Beach simply beautiful
The ride in the glass bottom boat across a field of Coral was interesting but also got to be monotonous with no variety of sea creatures other than very small coral fish, the colours of the coral rather dull in shades of green.

When I return to the beach I take a stroll across the beachfront and discover that the once booming tourist facilities have been closed down, the whole complex fenced off with chain link fence, obviously pending further development. For now a rather sad sight I had not expected. Apart from the ever present sea birds the only other wildlife a saw were two fair-sized black snakes disappearing into the woods just in front of me. The place once you get away from the beach has a desolate, uncared for ambience. There is only one shop open that sells the typical tourist gear, like T-shirts, Post cards and other nick nacks for visitors - no customers.

South from Airlie Beach

I leave my campsite at Cannonvale Campground, take yet another stroll through Airlie among Backpackers before a quick shopping trip at the new Shopping Plaza at Cannonvale. I continue my journey along the coast, finally stopping for the night at a place called Clairview which looks lovely when I arrive, turquoise waters lapping the beach right outside my rear window.

After some food for a late lunch, two Sudoku Puzzles and a bit of a read, I discover that the tide has receded, revealing mudflats and black rocks that have been hidden when I arrived.

In the morning I decide to drive further south toward Rockhampton and after consulting my maps, Yeppoon looks like the place to stay, right on the coast yet again. After communicating with Alison who has lived up here for quite some time, she also confirms this place to be, in her words, "..real nice..".
[More info]

I book myself in at the local council campground, again right on the beach, with lovely views out of my rear window and no mudflats or rocks at low tide! I really like the place and prescribe for myself a week's holiday.

Sunrise on Yeppoon Beach

I do notice a strong 'marine' smell coming off the ocean, also notice yellow foam that has settled on the sand after the tide recedes. I am told this is because the corals out on the Reef are emitting spores to reproduce, an event that occurs only once a year. Interesting!

Yellow foam left by Coral Spores in the water

Going south toward Townsville

My next stop-over is Mission Beach [check it out] a wonderful and spacious Beach with views across the waters to Dunk Island, yet another Holiday Resort amid the blue waters of The Great Barrier Reef. [more]

My campground is located right by the beach. I book for 3 nights enjoying a most relaxing stay. From Mission Beach I drive south, first stop at Ingham for some groceries and a haircut then a bit further south to another campsite at Balgal Beach, a nice free camping spot, again right on the water. I spend a great day walking the beach and later spend "Happy Hour" in the company of fellow travelers, enjoying the cool breeze by the ocean. It turns out that the sandflies are ferocious despite the liberal application of supposed repellents. ( I guess, no-one told the sand flies it was a repellent.) I ended up with dozens of bites all over, itchy as old Hell too.

I leave to drive to Townsville, [more] only about 40km further to the South where I am staying for 2 nights, also visit Magnetic Island, just off the coast.
[more about Magnetic Island]



The 'Locals' are pretty friendly too and enjoy eating the offered apple from my hand

After my visit to Magnetic Island which included a short bus tour to Roma Beach the Ferry takes me back to Townsville. I leave the following morning to head south to Airlie Beach, yet another poular Tourist destination [more on Airlie Beach] where I have spent a month twenty years ago sailing the Whitsunday Passage with my friends Brian and Sherry.

The town itself has seen major development, a far cry from the sleepy village of yesteryear, even Mac Donalds have an outlet on the main street...

The "Wet Tropics", Rainforest and Beaches

Yes, I know, I should be feeling rather guilty having neglected the blog for such a long time. I admit that I feel guilty indeed, so today I am going to elaborate a little about this part of Australia.




A map of the Cairns area

The city of Cairns [Click here] is the obvious business centre in this part of Australia, spread out over a fairly large area, modern roads and a number of shopping malls at various locations. Apart from its location between the sea and the Table lands that rise to over 800m above sea level it looks like a fast growing modern metropolis.


The local "Swimming hole" at the Esplanade at Cairns

What is usually forgotten by visitors to the idyllic part of the world, is the fact that Northern Queensland is also home to the giant Saltwater Crocodiles that are equally at home in Saltwater as in Freshwater, their preferred habitat being rivers flowing into the ocean.

As a consequence swimming in the ocean can be dangerous, but if you think that to be the only threat, think again. From about November to May small stingers inhabit the warm waters, to name just two, one is the so called "Box Jellyfish" the other "Irikandji", another small jellyfish, both able to inflict stings to the skin that look like burns and cause such pain that people have died, their body unable to cope with such intense pain. [more info] All beaches usually have bottles of vinegar deposited at many different locations, as a liberal dousing with vinegar seems to help in the short term. Medical treatment and injection of anti venom is definitely required and necessary. Many of the popular beaches also have so called "Stinger Nets" that are usually setup during the stinger season. No, they do not guarantee that the water will be free of stingers but they reduce the likelyhood of their presence significantly.

The whole area by the highway is covered in sugar cane as far as I can see, the harvest in full swing with harvesting machines at work, filling trailers that take the harvest to waiting rail carriages to be taken to the many sugarmills on countless narrow gauge railroads which seem to criss-cross the countryside wherever I drive.

With temperatures constantly in the 30s all vegetation grows at an amazing rate and in great abundance in the rain forest itself.

From Cairns I take the Skyrail, [more about Skyrail] a gondola that rides like a ski lift over the top of the rain forest in 3 sections, ending at the town of Kuranda [more about Kuranda] in the Table lands with a nice market stalls and lots of shops and eating places catering to the Tourist trade.


Part of a display of fired glass at Kuranda Markets


The way back into Cairns is via an old railway that zig-zags its way back into the low-lands below. Quite an experience to also view Barron Falls which must be in gigantic display during the wet season.[more about Kuranda Scenic Railway]

The road north from Cairns follows the coastline most of the time but veers a little away from the ocean before I need to turn toward the ocean again to go into Port Douglas, a well known destination for people from Sydney or Melbourne who may just fly up for a long weekend. Lots of shops and Resorts. The campground crowded with small allocated lots for each vehicle, but, not too far from the beach and in walking distance to Restaurants in the evening.

The following morning I am on the road north again to go to Cape Tribulation where I get a lovely spot for my motorhome in the shade of some big trees. Just 50m to the beachfront to laze the day away doing lots of Sudoku games in the shade.

The next morning I am off to "Jungle Surfing" [more about Jungle Surfing] on steel cables connecting a number of tall tree giants. It turns out a lot of fun, if a bit too short.




Fellow Traveler 'surfing' the Rain Forest

The following morning I head south again along the coast where I stop at Ellis Beach to relax for another two days before driving on to Kuranda again, pick up two bits I forgot to buy when I came up with Skyrail, then on to Lake Tinaroo, also in the Tablelands for another lovely cool night.

The following morning I follow the highway back through Millaa Millaa and also visit some of the lovely waterfalls in the area.

One of the many Waterfalls near Millaa Millaa

Then its back to the coast, through the town of Innisfail, then to the little hide-away of Etty Bay where I spend three nights by the beach, a lone Cassowary criss crossing the campground, raiding my neighbor's banana supply. These large birds weigh about 60kg, can be aggressive and with its sharp claws quite dangerous. I stay out of its way, a large lizzard also zig-zagging its way past my motorhome, looking for scraps.